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Paradesi Synagogue in Cochin |
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Paradesi Synagogue is named because of the word Paradesi (meaning 'foreigners') who are the 'White Jews'- a mixture of Jews from Cranganore, the Middle East and European exiles. |
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Paradesi Synagogue is known as the oldest synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations, located in Kochi, Kerala, in South India. It was built in the year 1568 A.D. by the Malabar Jewish people community in the
Kingdom of Cochin. Paradesi is a word, the literal meaning of the term is "foreigners", applied to the synagouge because it was historically used by "White Jews", a mixture of Jews from Cranganore, the Middle East, and European exiles. It is also referred to as the Cochin Jewish Synagogue or the Mattancherry Synagogue.
The Jews formed a prosperous trading community of Kerala, and they controlled a major part of world -wide spice trade. The original synagogue was built in the 4th century in Kodungallur (Cranganore) when the Jews had a mercantile role in the South Indian areas along the Malabar Coast now called Kerala. The population of the Jews has dropped drastically with the establishing of the Jewish State of Israel. There are only about 17 Jews left. The Jewish Synagogue will be probably be taken over by a Trust, and because of it's historical importance to the history of Cochin (Kochi), will be preserved. The ancient scrolls of the Old Testament, the unique Chinese tiles and the Belgian chandeliers are the main attraction of the synagogue.
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© imagesofasia 2007 |
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